'Generation Y', or the 'millennials' as they are known, are the consumers of the future. Historically speaking these are the best educated consumers - well-off, IT oriented and with clearly defined aims and tastes. So how do we, as an industry, talk to them?

According to Elena Ozeritskaya from Fresh Insight, Generation Y members are between 15 and 30 years old and have quite different values and attitudes which will have a major impact on product and marketing strategies between now and 2020.

By that time, they will make up no less than one third of the entire world population, and they will be more open to change than previous generations of young people - and therefore more ready to experiment with new technology and methods of communication.

The question of communicating with Generation Y, and many other consumer trend issues, will be under discussion at the forthcoming European Vegetable Strategies conference in Brussels.

Following last year’s successful premiere, this year's event will be held at the Hotel Le Plaza in Brussels. The organisers’ concept is to provide a tailor-made one-day congress for key decision makers in the European vegetable sector, with an optional programme of additional networking activities on the previous day. The conference offers a unique opportunity for vegetable specialists to work together with the rest of the international supply chain to develop new ideas and strategies for marketing fresh vegetables.

The informal get together on the Wednesday evening is a highlight, with VLAM, Flanders’ Agricultural Marketing Board, again sponsoring the event in the congress hotel.

European Vegetable Strategies is jointly organised by Europe’s leading trade publications, Eurofruit Magazine, Fruchthandel Magazine and the Fresh Produce Journal. For further details or to register, please click here.

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